The weekly Floridian. [volume] (Tallahassee, Fla.) 1867-19??, 1887-11-24
n icago Tribune.l
A DssAPPaON raNG HERO.

LII YOU cNcT Ctt0uCC W AupW a
hero? p said jocund young artist in a
suit of plaid aud billy cock hat down 1t
the chop hou-e the other day. II isn't
necessary to tell whose chop hoose it was
every newspaper man knows.
"If you've ever known q hero" the
artist went OH, "you have known man
who was merely lucky. It's luck that
makes heroism. Don't believe it? I'll
prove it to you About two years ago 3
boat caught fire down near New London.
1t was little steamer, quite heavily
loaded, and it was mile from shore.
The hold was filled with waste, such as
machinists use, you know, and the fire had
smouldered there till the whole of it was
ablaze. Then it burst out every where
at once. In five minutes the vessel
seemed in blaze from end to end. The
captain stood at his wheel and gave his
orders from his post He headed her
strait for the shore-or rather, for q
stretch of sand from which the shore
could be reached. The boats were mean
time lowered. The men and women
were hustled in, some Of them terribly
scorched. The man at the wheel never
moved. The wheel-house caught, and
the flames were all about him. His hair
caught and he whipped the fire out with
his thick wooden hat. The shirt dropped
off his back. But he stood with his lips
pressed, his eyes fixed on shore, his hand
at the wheel. At last word was given
that all were in the boats. Some one
called to the captain TO jump. He did so,
and he sank. A minute later the burn
ing boat ioundered and disappeared,
with a sizzling and steamng The CRATE
ful people looked for the gallant hero in
vain. Then went to the city with the
tale of his magnificent sacrifice. His
family were inflated with pride. Pre-
viously they had considered their father
rather commonplace man, and had
never had very high opinion of him.
His heroism came like a revelation. They
felt like the family name would never be
allowed to perish while New London
stood. 1t was possible that monument
would be raised, and certain that sub
scription had already been started. The
local papers gave the history If the deed
in tragic colors.
"The following morning, which was
Sunday, he was the theme of the sermons
and prayers were offered for the bereav-
ed family. This family, which had pre-
viously been held in little esteem, wa.
now the centre Of interest The most ar
istocratic men and women in town were
not ashamed to boast that such stock was
among them. They looked on the weep
ing sons and daughters as embryo heroes
and heroines As the people walked
home from church it was the sole subject
of conversation, when to the amazement
of all-not to say isappointment-the
we'll known figure of the be-mourned
Captain was en- reeling down the street
in state of most undignihed intoxication.
The people were outraged. They felt
that their better feelings had been i'm
Posed pos. uPo" ms De' esYee .s"..y tsls v1e
way, is more bitter than sorrow in this
egotistical world. 1t didn't occur to any
one that the man was still a hero. The
truth wa. that after he jumped he swan
under wa' er for some time under the i'm
preston that the boat would immediate
iy sink and that he would be drawn down
with it he were in the way. The peo-
pie, with their eyes fixed on the burning
boat. did not see him when he rose He
got ashore and was met by an old friend
He wa. nearly naked and suffering tor
ments from bis burns and from the ner-
vous shock. Of course his friend took
him in for drink.
"He was dressed and doctored, and he
drank with every one that came in.
When night came he was carried upstairs
by two comrades and laid heels upward on
the bed. About noon he recovered and
turned his steps 'homeward to relieve the
anxiety of his family. There never was
a man so laughed at in New London.
And why? Merely because he hadn't had
the good luck to die. -"
The jocund artist lit his last cigarette
with the consciousness that he had con-
vinced his companions.